The Last of Us
by UnchartedFreaks
Summary: We all know the story of The Last of Us but what if Joel had another daughter? One who survived the first night and joined her father on this fateful trip. I do not own The Last of Us or any of its characters! Will raise to M if needed. Cover was made by obriannakenobi! Thank you so much! I love it a lot!
1. Prologue- Hometown Part One

My eyes slowly opened as I noticed the lamp was on. I looked around to see I had fallen asleep in Sarah's arms on the couch.

"We'll talk about it in the morning." Dad said over the phone as we yawned.

"Alright. Goodnight." he said as we slowly sat up.

"Hey." we greeted him as he threw down his keys before waving a hand.

"Scoot." he told us as we did so.

"Fun day at work, huh?" Sarah asked as we noticed how he sat back and rubbed his eye.

He gave us a brief look before putting his elbow on the arm of the couch, resting his head on his hand.

"What are you two still doing up? It's late." he said as Sarah and I looked at each other, panicked.

"Oh crud. What time is it?" I asked as we put a a hand on the couch and looked up at the big clock.

"It's way past your bedtimes." Dad told us as we grinned.

"But it's still today." Sarah said as we got off of the couch and went to the corner of it.

"Girls, please not right now. I do not have the energy for this." Dad said, exhausted.

Sarah grabbed the small box as she handed it to him.

"Here. It's from Lilly and I." she said as he took it.

"What's this?" he asked as we plopped back down on the couch.

"Your birthday." we said as we waited in anticipation.

He slowly opened it as he stared at it for a moment.

"You kept complaining about your broken watch... So we figured, you know." Sarah said as I nodded while Dad put his new watch on.

"You like it?" I asked as Sarah and I both looked at Dad, eagerly waiting for his response.

"Girls, this is..." he said as he started tapping it and putting his wrist up to his ear.

"What?" I asked as we were getting concerned.

"It's nice, but I-...I think it's stuck. It's not..." he told us as we bent over towards him.

"What? No, no, no, no." Sarah said as we spotted the watch was working just fine.

"Oh, ha, ha." she said as she laid back down.

"Very funny, Daddy." I added as I laid down next to Sarah while we watched T.V.

"Where did you two get the money for this?" he asked as Sarah winked at me.

"Drugs. We sell hardcore drugs." she said as I giggled.

"Oh, good." Dad said as he picked up the remote.

"You can start helping out with the mortgage then." he told us as Sarah scoffed.

"Stsh - yeah, you wish." she said as I was confused.

"What's a mortgage?" I asked as Sarah laughed.

"Don't worry about it, Lilly." she said as we continued to watch T.V until I found myself dozing off again.

I was half-way asleep when I felt someone move Sarah. My eyes opened slightly as I saw Dad had picked her up and put her on one of his shoulders.

"Daddy?" I asked sleepily as I rubbed my eyes.

"C'mon, sweetheart." he told me as he picked me up and put me on his other shoulder.

He carried upstairs and into the room Sarah and I shared as he gently laid us down on the bed before moving a piece of Sarah's hair out of her face.

"Goodnight, baby girl." he said, calling her by the nickname he gave her.

He looked at me, patting my head.

"Goodnight, Lil bit." he told me as I smiled.

"Goodnight, Daddy." I told him as he left the room and I fell asleep once again.


	2. Prologue- Hometown Part two

I stirred in my sleep as I thought I heard the phone in the bedroom ringing.

"Hello?" Sarah's voice said as I sat up in bed.

I heard a voice on the other side of the line but I couldn't make out what it was saying.

"Uncle Tommy, what time is it?" Sarah asked as I watched her on the phone.

"Uncle Tommy? Hello?" she asked as she hung up and placed the phone back.

She got up off of the bed as she looked around.

"What was that all about?" she asked herself as I climbed out of the bed and grabbed the phone.

It made a noise as I put it back and looked at my sister.

"Phone's dead, sis." I said as she nodded.

"I know. That was Uncle Tommy who called a minute ago. He was wanting to talk to dad." she told me as I looked at her.

"Why?" I questioned.

"Not quite sure. He sounded upset." she told me as I was confused.

What was going on around here?

I walked over to the dresser before sighing.

"Dang it! Sar, we forgot to give this to Dad!" I told her, holding up the card.

"Shucks! We'll give it to him later." she said as I nodded.

"Okie dokie!" I told her, placing the card back on the dresser.

"C'mon, let's go find Dad." she said as she opened our bedroom door and we walked out to the dark hallway.

"Dad?" we called out but got no answer.

"Sar, I'm scared." I told her as she grabbed my hand.

"It's alright, Lilly. You're safe with me."she said as I held onto her hand.

"O-Okay." I told her as she opened the bathroom door.

I picked up the newspaper and started reading over it.

"Lilly, put that down. You know how Dad is about us reading that stuff." Sarah scolded lightly as I put it back down.

"Sorry." I said as we left the bathroom before continuing down the hall.

"Daddy?" I asked again but got silence in return.

"His TV's on. He might be in his room." Sarah said as I nodded.

"Yeah." I agreed as she led me down the hall.

"You in here?" we asked as we opened the door.

"It appears that what we initially reported as riots seem to be somehow connected to the nationwide pandemic." a newswoman said as Sarah looked around.

"Where the heck are you?" Sarah asked as my eyes were glued to the TV.

"Sarah, look at this." I said, gently pulling her to the TV.

"We've received reports that victims afflicted with the infection show signs of increased aggression and-" she said as Sarah looked at me then back to the TV.

"That's nearby." she said as we continued to watch the newscast.

"We need to move everybody out of here now. There's a gas leak." a man in the background said to a small group of other men.

They started telling the newswoman to get out of there as there suddenly was a big explosion and the feed was cut off.

"Uh...what was that?" Sarah asked as I shook my head.

"I-I don't know, but I don't like it." I told her as I saw another small explosion from the window and the dogs started barking along with the faint sound of sirens.

"Oh God." Sarah and I both said as her grip tightened.

"Dad?" we asked, panic seeping into our voices.

"C'mon, Lillian." she told me as we quickly left the room and back into the hallway.

We quietly went down the stairs as I looked around.

"What is goin' on?" I asked softly as we reached the bottom.

I looked out of the window to see three cop cars rush by, lights on and sirens going.

We walked into the kitchen as I heard a phone buzzing.

"There's his phone." Sarah said as we walked over to it and Sarah picked it up.

"Eight missed calls." she said as I tried to see the phone.

"Where the hell are you? Call me. On my way." she said, reading the messages.

"All from Uncle Tommy." I said as she nodded, putting the phone back down.

I walked over to the fridge before reading the note Dad had left us earlier.

"Where is he?" I asked, grabbing Sarah's hand again.

"Don't worry. We'll find him." she told me as I nodded.

"Right." I said as we walked past the glass door that led outside.

Should we go outside?

We walked into the den just as Dad ran in and shut the glass door.

I noticed he was breathing heavily and looked panicked.

"There you are." Sarah said as he looked at us.

"Sarah. Lillian." he said as he rushed over to his desk.

"Are you two okay?" he asked, opening a drawer.

"Yeah." we responded, getting kinda nervous.

"Has anyone come in here?" he asked, taking out a smaller box.

"No. W-Who would come in here?" I asked as Sarah and I looked at him, getting scared.

I walked towards the door as Dad was loading a gun.

"Don't get near the doors. Just...just stand back there.." he told me as I retreated back to Sarah's side and she kept me close.

"Dad, you're kinda freaking us out." Sarah said as I nodded.

"Uh huh." I added.

"What's going on?" we asked him, concerned.

"It's the Coopers." he said lowly as I looked at Sarah.

"Something ain't right with 'em. I think they're sick." he told us as Sarah looked skeptical.

"What kinda sick?" she asked as I looked out of the door just as someone ran into it and I screamed.

"Jesus." Dad said as Sarah pulled me back.

"Jimmy!" he shouted as we couldn't stop looking at him.

"Dad?" we asked as he looked at us.

"Girls? C'mere. C'mere." he said as he got in front of us and we hid behind him.

Jimmy continued to try and break through the glass as Sarah looked at me. "It's okay..." she whispered to me as Dad continued to protect us.

"Jimmy." Dad said as he broke through and we gasped.

"Jimmy, just stay back." Dad said, but Jimmy just growled in response.

He looked at us as Dad backed us up.

"Jimmy, I am warning you." he said but he didn't seem to listen.

"Oh my God..." Sarah said as he ran at us.

"Don't!" Dad yelled as he shot Jimmy and he fell over.

"Go. Go." Dad said softly as I was close to crying while he pulled us into the kitchen and near the glass door.

"You shot him." we said shakily as he put his hands on our shoulders.

"Sarah. Lillian." he said as we continued to stare at him.

"We saw him this mornin'." I said as he looked at us, shaking us lightly.

"Listen to me, there is something bad going on. We've got to get out of here. Do you two understand me?" Dad asked as we nodded.

"Yeah." we said as Dad nodded.

I then spotted headlights coming from the window.

"Tommy. C'mon." he said, gently grabbing our arms.

"Okay." we said as we basically ran to the door and went outside.

"Where the hell you been? You have any idea what's goin' on out there?" Uncle Tommy asked as Dad pulled us to the car.

"I got some notion." Dad said as he opened the back door.

"C'mon, girls. Get on in there." he said as he put us in the SUV.

"Holy shit. You got blood all over you." Uncle Tommy told Dad as he shut the door.

"It ain't mine. Let's just get outta here." Dad said as he opened the passenger door and Uncle Tommy ran to the driver's side.

"They're saying half of the people in the city have lost their minds." Uncle Tommy said as they got in the car.

"Can we just please go?" Dad asked as they shut the doors.

"Some sort of parasite or somethin'. You gonna tell me what happened?" Uncle Tommy asked as he put the key in the ignition.

"Later." Dad said simply as he backed up.

"Hey, Sarah, Lilly. How you two holdin' up, girls?" he asked as Sarah held me close.

"We're fine." Sarah spoke for us as I nodded slightly and we pulled out of the driveway.

"Can we hear what's on the radio?" I asked softly as Uncle Tommy nodded.

"Yeah, sure thing." he said as I nodded.

"Thanks." I told him.

He switched through the stations but nothing played.

"No cellphone. No radio. Yeah, we're doin' great." Uncle Tommy said as Sarah and I continued to look out the windows.


	3. Prologue- Hometown Part Three

"Minute ago, newsman wouldn't shut up." Uncle Tommy commented as he drove down the road.

"They say where to go?" Dad asked as we all waited for an answer.

"He said, ah...Army's putting up roadblocks on the highway. No gettin' into Travis County." Uncle Tommy said as I looked as we reached a lot of signs.

"That means we need to get the hell out. Take 71." Dad told Uncle Tommy as he nodded.

"71. That's where I'm headed." he said as he allowed the cops to pass before turning right.

"They say how many are dead?" Sarah asked as I held my breath.

"Probably a lot. Found this one family all mangled inside their house." Uncle Tommy said as my eyes went wide and I looked at Sarah who was giving me the same expression.

"Tommy." Dad warned as he went silent.

"Right. Sorry." he said as we saw a car had ran into a pole.

Jesus Christ, how did this happen?" Dad asked as we continued to look around while Uncle Tommy drove us down an old and bumpy road.

"They got no clue." Uncle Tommy answered.

"But we ain't the only town. At first they were saying it was just the South. Now they're going on about the East Coast, the West Coast..." Uncle Tommy said as we came across a burning farmstead.

"Holy hell..." Uncle Tommy said as we started passing it by.

"That's Louis's farm. Hope that son of a bitch made it out." Uncle Tommy said as we got passed it.

"I'm sure he did." Dad commented as we started up a small hill.

"Are we sick?" I asked suddenly as Dad looked at me.

"No. No, of course not." Dad said as Sarah looked at him.

"How do you know?" she asked as Uncle Tommy glanced at us.

"They said it's just, ah, people in the city. We're good." Uncle Tommy said as we turned right again.

"Didn't Jimmy work in the city?" Sarah and I asked as we put our hand on the back of their seats, leaning forward.

"That's right. He did." Dad confirmed with a slight nod.

"We're fine. Trust me." Uncle Tommy said as we nodded.

"Alright." we said as I spotted a family walking alongside the road and Uncle Tommy started slowing the car down.

"Let's see what they need." he said as Dad gave him a look.

"What the hell do you think your doin'? Keep drivin'." Dad told him as Uncle Tommy looked at him.

"They gotta kid, Joel." Uncle Tommy all but exclaimed.

"So do we. In fact, we have two." Dad growled slightly as we got closer.

"But we have room." Sarah said as the man started waving his arms.

"Hey!" the man said as Dad looked back at Uncle Tommy.

"Keep drivin', Tommy." Dad said as Uncle Tommy sped up the car again.

"Hey, stop! Stop!" the man shouted as we drove past.

"You ain't seen what I seen. Someone else'll come along." Dad said as I couldn't help but look back.

"We shoulda helped them." Sarah said as I nodded.

"C'mon, Lilly. No need to look back." she said as I returned my focus to the road in front of us.

We soon got to the city but there was a huge traffic jam on 71.

"Oh, this is bad." Uncle Tommy said as he stopped the car.

"Everyone and their damn mother had the same idea." he said as Dad looked at him.

"Well... we could just backtrack and-" Dad said as the guy in front of us got out of his car and threw his hands in the air.

"Hey, what the fuck, man? Let's go!" he yelled as someone in a hospital gown ran out from the trees and attacked him.

I heard screaming as another one got into the car and started attacking the passenger.

"Holy shit." Uncle Tommy said as we all watched in horror.

"Oh my god." Sarah and I added.

"Turn us around. Tommy. Tommy!" Dad said as he turned the car sideways just as the man threw himself up against the glass.

Sarah and I jumped in fear as she put her arms around me.

"I got you, Lilly. I got you." she told me as Uncle Tommy sped off.

"What the fuck just happened? Did you see that?" Dad shouted slightly.

"Yes, I saw it." Uncle Tommy said as Dad pointed.

"Goddamn. Turn here. Turn here." he said as Uncle Tommy did so.

We turned onto the street as people were fleeing and I felt the car slow down.

"Come on, people. Move." Uncle Tommy said to himself as I looked around.

"What are they runnin' from?" I asked but got no reply.

"Get us outta here." Dad said as Uncle Tommy tapped the steering wheel.

"I'm tryin'." Uncle Tommy said as we almost hit a man.

"Oh no." Sarah said as I kept peering back behind us.

Will those things come after us?

"We can't stop here, Tommy." Dad stated as Uncle Tommy gave him a look.

"I can't fuckin' drive through 'em, Joel!" Uncle Tommy shouted at him as Dad glared back.

"Then back up then!" Dad shouted back.

"They're behind me too!" Uncle Tommy yelled as Dad pointed again.

"There. There! There!" he said as Uncle Tommy got going again.

"Hold on!" he said as we got past the obstacle in the road.

"Look out!" Sarah yelled as a car slammed right into us.

I was thrown up against the window as everything went black.


	4. Prologue- Hometown Part Four

"Lilly? Lillian! Wake up, sis!" Sarah's voice said as my eyes opened.

"Sarah?" I asked as I felt something running down the side my head, making my hair stick to my skin.

"Oh, your head's bleedin'. You musta hit it during the crash." she said as I saw her leg.

I was about to say something when I saw the commotion going on and Sarah started shakin' Dad.

"Daddy? Hey. Hey." Sarah said as she shook him.

"Daddy?" I asked as he opened his eyes and started moving.

"What?" he whispered as he saw what was going on.

He gently moved Sarah's arm out of the way as he looked at us.

"Get back, girls. Get back." he told us as we stared at him..

"Look. I'm okay..." he said as he kicked the glass out.

I saw him crawl out of the car and soon heard what sounded like fighting.

"Dad?" we called out as he came back to the broken window.

"I'm here, girls. I'm here. C'mon, give me your hands." he said as he held them out.

We grabbed them as we crawled to him.

"Lillian, baby. Let me see." he said as he started examining my head.

"She cut it on a piece of glass durin' the wreck." Sarah explained as he looked at me.

"Does it hurt?" he asked as I nodded.

"A little, yeah." I told him as he wiped some of the blood off of the side of my face.

"You're gonna be fine, baby." he told me as he wiped some of the blood away.

Sarah tried to walk but hissed in pain.

"What is it?" Dad asked as she put her hands on him for support.

"My leg hurts." she said as he looked down at it.

"How bad?" he questioned as she sighed.

"Pretty bad." she answered as Uncle Tommy rushed over to us.

"We're gonna need to run." Uncle Tommy said as we heard shouting and growling.

"Oh my god." Dad said as he gave his pistol to Uncle Tommy.

"Lillian. You stay close to Uncle Tommy, you hear me?" he said as he picked up Sarah.

"Uh huh!" I said as I grabbed Uncle Tommy's hand.

"C'mon, baby." he told Sarah as he picked her up.

We took off as Uncle Tommy pulled me ahead of Dad and Sarah.

"Uncle Tommy? I'm scared." I told him as someone falls out of a car wreck.

"He's dead!" Uncle Tommy called out as he looked at me.

"You and Sarah are gonna be just fine, sweetheart. I promise." he said as someone got attacked by one of those things.

"Lillian, close your eyes!" Dad shouted as I couldn't do it.

A car drove into a gas station as it exploded.

"Oh my- oh my god.." Sarah cried out as Uncle Tommy pulled me ahead.

"C'mon, honey." he said as I looked up at him.

"T-Those people are on fire." I told him.

"Lillian, keep your eyes on the ground." Uncle Tommy told me as I nodded.

"Okay." he said as I felt more blood running down my face.

"Uncle Tommy, I'm feeling kinda dizzy." I told him as we stopped.

"Over there!" he said as we ran towards it but a pileup prevented us from moving any farther.

"We're gonna get outta this. I promise." Dad said as he looked at me.

"You doin' good, baby?" he asked as I nodded.

"Yeah. I-I'm fine." I told him as another pileup kept us from getting closer to the theater.

"Get back! There's to many of 'em!" Uncle Tommy shouted as he put me behind him.

"This way! Through the alley!" he said as we ran to it and he opened the gate.

"Go on, Lilly." he said as I entered and he held it open.

Dad and Sarah rushed ahead as one of those things tried to get him.

"Daddy! Sarah!" I cried out as Uncle Tommy ran to them.

He kicked it to the ground before shooting it.

"Jesus." Dad said as I ran back to Uncle Tommy and grabbed his hand again.

"Goddamnit. We're almost there. We're almost there, girls." Dad said as I nodded.

"They're gettin' through the fence!" Uncle Tommy shouted as I gasped.

"Keep going! Find a way outta here!" Dad shouted as we continued to run.

"C'mon!" Uncle Tommy said as we started running into a building.

"Lillian! Go to your daddy!" Uncle Tommy ordered as I ran to them and he was blocking the door with his body.

"Go to the highway!" he shouted as we all looked at him.

"What?" Dad asked softly as Uncle Tommy nodded.

"Go- you got Sarah and Lillian! I can outrun 'em!" he shouted as Dad started backing up.

"Uncle Tommy!" Sarah and I said as Dad motioned for me to get in front of him.

"I will meet you there." Dad said as Uncle Tommy nodded.

"Hurry!" he said as we escaped the bar, leaving him behind.

"Lilly, I'm gonna need you to run, alright? Run as fast as you can." he said as I nodded.

"Daddy, we can't leave him." Sarah said as we started running.

"He's gonna be fine." Dad said as we jumped down and I stumbled slightly.

"C'mon!" he said as I ran back in front of them. as we ran down a dirt road.

"We're almost there." he said as we continued to bolt.

"They're gettin' closer." Sarah said as I didn't dare look behind me.

"Dad?" I asked but he didn't answer.

We started up a hill as I saw lights.

We started coming to a stop when a light was flashed in our eyes and loud popping noises killed the things behind us.

I hid behind Dad's legs as he sighed.

"It's okay, girls. We're safe. We're safe." he whispered as he turned his attention to the man in front of us.

"Hey! We need help!" Dad said as he took a step.

"Stop!" the man ordered as we did so.

"Please. It's my daughters. I think her leg is broken and this one's head got cut open." he said as the man continued to aim at us.

"Stop right there!" he ordered as Dad nodded.

"Okay...we're not sick." he said as the man picked up something.

"Got a trio of civilians in the outer perimeter. Please advise." he said as there was a moment of silence.

"Daddy, what about Uncle Tommy?" Sarah asked as I looked up at him.

"We're gonna get you and Lillian back to safety and go back for him. Okay?" Dad asked as we returned our focus on the man in front of us.

"Sir, there's two little girls." he said as that got my attention.

"But.." he said as he sighed.

"Yes sir." he said as he looked back at us and raised his weapon.

"Listen, buddy, we've just been through hell. Okay, we need-" Dad said as even I knew what was about to happen.

"Oh shit." Dad said as he started to turn and I ran towards the trees to my left.

I heard more popping sounds while Dad and Sarah screamed. They rolled down the hill as I ran to Dad.

"Daddy!" I yelled as he grabbed me. He pulled me close to his chest as my blood got on his shirt.

That man got close to us as Dad was trying to put himself over me.

"Please, don't." Dad whispered as I heard a loud bang and the man fell over, dead.

"Uncle Tommy!" I said and that's when I heard crying.

"Oh. no.." Uncle Tommy said and I looked over towards Sarah.

"Sarah!" Dad said as I went to run to them but Uncle Tommy held me back.

"Sar! Sar!" I screamed as Uncle Tommy wouldn't move.

"Lilly. Lillian!" he said as I looked at him.

"Look at me, sweetheart. Keep looking at me." he said as I heard Sarah crying in pain and spotted blood.

He kept on calling her baby girl and told her not to do this.

"Sarah?" I asked softly as I pushed Uncle Tommy's hands away and I saw that she wasn't moving.

"Sar?" I whispered as I saw Dad was crying.

The pain in my head was nothing compared to the pain in my heart.

"D-Daddy?" I asked as he looked at me, gently putting Sarah's body on the ground.

"L-Lillian.." he said as I ran to him and he hugged me tightly.

Tears poured down my face as I held onto him.

"I got you, Lil Bit. I got you and I'm never letting you go. I promise." he said as I continued to bawl into his shoulder.

That's when I knew the life I had known was gone. Forever.

Nothing would ever be the same again..


	5. Summer-The Quarantine Zone Part One

20 YEARS LATER

* * *

"Y'know he's gonna kill us, right?" I asked Tess as she chuckled.

"Us? It's me he's going to kill once he finds out I brought you along." she said as she looked at me

"That might be so, but he'll still wanna kill me for goin' out without him." I replied as she knocked on the door.

We got no reply yet I thought I heard movement coming from the other side.

I knocked on the door but we still got no answer Tess and I looked at each other before both of us started knocking on the door in unison, the sound louder and harder.

"I'm coming." Joel's voice snapped from the room as I smirked.

I heard the door unlocking as it cracked open, revealing his face. He sighed as he fully opened the door, allowing us in.

"How was your morning?" Tess asked as she started pouring herself a drink.

"Want one?" she asked us as I shook my head.

"No, I don't...want one." Joel said as she leaned up against the counter and I sat on a stool.

"I thought I told you to stay here, Lillian." he added as I sighed.

"I can take care of myself, Joel. I'm 28 years old." I told him as we looked at each other for a moment.

"Well, we have some interesting news for you." Tess said, breaking the family tension.

Dad looked at her as I knew we were in for it.

"Where were you two, Tess?" he asked as she brought the glass close to her lips.

"West End district. Hey, we had a drop to make." she said as Dad started walking towards us, a rag in his hand.

"We. We had a drop to make. That means all three of us." he said as Tess gave him a look before snatching the rag from his hands.

"Yeah, well, you wanted to be left alone, remember?" Tess said as she dabbed her face with the rag.

"Besides, I wanted to tag along. Tess needed the company and I didn't wanna wake you." I told him as he wordlessly turned around.

"So, I'll take one guess. The whole deal went south, and the client made off with our pills. Is that about right?" he asked as I scoffed and Tess let out a mocking laugh.

She put the rag down as we reached into our pockets and held the cards up.

"Deal went off without a hitch. Enough ration cards to last us a couple of months - easy." Tess said as I nodded before we threw them on the counter behind us.

"You two wanna explain this?" he said, pointing at his own face.

"We were on our way back here, and we got jumped by a few assholes, alright?" I answered as Joel looked at me then to Tess.

"I kept Lillian from getting hit to much, don't worry. Yeah, they got a few good hits in. But... Look, we managed." she told him as he walked up to her.

"Gimme that." he said as he took the rag from her hands and started cleaning the wound.

"Are these assholes still with us?" he asked as Tess chuckled lightly.

"Now that's funny." she answered as he put the rag down and walked over to me, examining my face.

"Joel, I'm fine." I told him but he continued to clean my wound with another rag he had picked up, his eyes continuing to glance up at the small scar on my head that was hidden by my black hair.

A memory from that night.

"Dad, I'm okay." I said softly as he nodded, putting the rag down.

"Did either of you figure out who they were?" Joel asked as I looked at him.

"Yeah, look, they were a couple of nobodies- they don't matter." I told him as Tess nodded and got close to Joel's face.

"What matters is that Robert fucking sent them." she told him as Joel looked at her, slightly confused.

"Our Robert?" he questioned.

"He knows we're after 'him." Tess said as Joel headed back to the kitchen.

"He thinks he's gonna get us first." I added as we followed him.

"That son of a bitch, he's smart." Joel said as he threw the rag down.

"No. He's not smart enough." I said as we stood across from him.

"We know where he's hiding." Tess said as Joel scoffed.

"Like hell you two do." he told us as Tess scoffed.

"Old warehouse in Area 5- can't say for how long though." she said as she walked towards the window.

"Well, I'm ready now. Yeah?" he asked as he motioned me and I walked up next to him.

"Oh, I can do now." Tess said as we walked out of the door.


	6. Summer-The Quarantine Zone Part Two

I followed Joel and Tess outside as I looked around, seeing some birds fly off as a solider patrolled the roof.

"The checkpoint's still open." Tess said as Joel sighed.

"Only got a few hours until curfew." he said as Tess looked at us.

"We better hurry up then." she said as we started walking.

"Wait. Are you serious?" a guy asked as he was talking to a woman near a dumpster.

"I got served the damn papers this morning. I've been selected for outside work duty." she said with a sigh.

"It's such crap. Soldiers are supposed to handle the outside." he said as we passed them by and Tess opened a gate.

"I'll make sure to tell them that." the woman said with a slight laugh as we started walking through an alley.

"That guy had a point, Joel." I told him as he sighed.

"It ain't our concern, Lilly." he said as I nodded.

"I know, I know." I mumbled under my breath as we walked out to the main street.

I looked around at all of the soldiers as an army truck drove down the road.

"Attention. Citizens are required to carry a current ID at all times. Compliance with all city personnel is mandatory." a voice coming from a loudspeaker announced as Joel looked at me.

"Stay close, Lilly." he said as I nodded.

"I am." I responded as we approached Tess.

"Look at that. Ration line hasn't opened yet. Must be low again." she said, saying the last part more quieter.

I watched as some soldiers pushed four people out of a condemned building and onto the street. They were ordered to put their hands on their heads as the people did so. That's when they brought out the scanners.

"Lillian, let's go." Joel said as I held up a finger.

"Hang on." I told him, keeping my eyes on the people.

Please, let there be no infected today.

The first two passed but the third one, a woman, failed. They threw her down on the street before injecting a shot into her back. She squirmed before dying.

"She's down." one said as the fourth one panicked.

He tried to run, but was shot dead.

Right in front of everyone who was out here.

"That good enough for you? Let's go." Joel said, pushing me ahead of him.

"Seems like more people are gettin' infected." I said as Tess nodded.

"I agree, Lilly." she told me as Joel looked at us.

"That just means more people are sneakin' out." he said as we continued on our way.

"S'up, Joel?" a guy said as we were walking by him.

"Nothin'." he said as I scoffed lightly.

"Way to communicate, Dad." I laughed slightly as he rolled his eyes.

"Keep moving." he told me as another couple of people were talking about the Fireflies.

We finally reached the checkpoint as Tess looked at us.

"I got us all new papers. They shouldn't give us any static up there. Just play it cool." she said as Joel and and I scoffed slightly.

We got up to the gate as a guard stopped us.

"Let me see your IDs." he said as Joel nodded.

"Here you go."he said, handing them to the guy.

He looked over them before looking back at us.

"What's your business here?" he questioned.

"Got the day off. Visiting a friend." Joel told him as he nodded.

"Alright, go on through." he said, moving out of the way.

"Thanks." Joel said as we went to go through when the truck that was on the road in front of us suddenly exploded.

The aftermath caused us to cover our heads and stumble back slightly.

"Oh shit." Tess mumbled as Joel and I took a little damage.

"Get out of here! Go!" the guard ordered as we were still disoriented.

"Close it up!" another guard shouted as the gates closed.

"Fireflies!" the first guard yelled as they raised their weapons.

"Fuckin' shoot 'em!" the second one yelled as Tess patted us on the arms.

"Joel, Lillian, come on. Let's get outta here." she said as she turned around and started running.

"Go, go." Joel told me as he put me in front of him, pushing me lightly.

I took off running and Joel was right behind me the whole time.

"Attention. Checkpoint 5 is now closed until further notice. All civilians must clear the surrounding area immediately." The loudspeaker announced as Tess ran to a door.

"Coast is clear, c'mon." she said as we went inside and Joel shut the door.

"Fuck...so much for the easy route." Tess said as I noticed my minor wounds.

"Patch yourselves up, alright?" she asked, holding out two rolls of bandages.

"Thanks." I told her as I wrapped it around my arm before cutting it with my teeth.

"You alright?" Joel asked as I nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's nothin' serious." I responded as Tess started walking ahead.

"They're gonna close all the checkpoints." she sighed before continuing.

"We're gonna have to go around the outside." she finished as Joel looked at her.

"Outside the wall?" he asked as she nodded.

"Or we could just let Robert go." she said as Joel scoffed and I rolled my eyes.

"Cute." we said as we followed Tess down the hall.

"Hey, Tess. You see that shit?" a guy asked, rising from an old lawn chair.

"I was there." Tess answered shortly as he walked beside of her.

"Hey, how's the east tunnel looking?" she asked him as he looked at her.

"It's clear. I just used it. No patrols." he answered as Joel walked up next to me.

"Where you off to?" he wondered as she looked ahead.

"Gonna pay Robert a visit." she told him as he scoffed lightly.

"You too?" he asked as I became confused.

"Who else is lookin' for him?" I joined in on the conversation.

"Uh. Marlene. She's been asking around, trying to find him." he told me as Tess looked at him.

"Marlene? What do the Fireflies need with Robert?" she asked as he shrugged.

"You think she'd tell me?" he said with a slight laugh.

"Well, what did you tell her?" I questioned him.

"The truth. I got no idea where he's hiding." he answered as Tess nodded.

"Good man. Hey, you stay outta trouble, alright? Military's gonna be out in force soon." Tess told him.

"Yeah- see you around." he said, walking away.

Well, that was some interesting news.


	7. Summer-The Quarantine Zone Part Three

"Marlene lookin' for Robert? What do you make of that?" Tess asked Joel.

"I don't like it. We better find Robert before the Fireflies do." Joel said as I nodded.

"Yeah." I agreed as we walked into a room.

"This is us." Tess announced as I looked around.

"Hey, guys. How's it going?" the man on the couch asked as I scoffed lightly.

"Shit's stirring up out there. How we lookin' over here?" she asked as the man leaned forward slightly.

"Ah, it's been quiet. No signs of military or infected." he said, shuffling his feet as empty glass bottles clanked together.

"That's what I like to hear." Tess said as I sighed in slight relief.

So far, so good.

Tess walked over to the big shelf with a TV and other items as she nodded at us.

"Lilly, Joel. Help me with this." she said as I got next to Tess and Joel got on the other side.

We pushed it over to the right, revealing a hidden tunnel.

"Y'all take it easy out there." the man said as we jumped down into the darkness.

"Oh, this place smells." I said, putting a hand under my nose.

"Smells? It reeks. They need to watch what they throw away down here." she said as she turned on the generator and we now had power.

"Let there be light." she commented as we followed her.

"Let's grab our gear." Tess said as we vaulted over the pipe.

"Our backpacks are still here from last time." she said as we reached the workbench and I went over to my bag.

"Not a lot of ammo." I observed, taking my clip out before putting it back in my gun and loading it.

"Well, make your shots count." Tess said as I put my gas mask in my bag and throwing it over my shoulders.

"Got your pistol?" Joel asked as I nodded.

"Yep." I answered as he stopped me from going anywhere.

"Gas mask? All the ammo you still have from last time?" he asked as I sighed.

"Dad, I got everything. Let's go." I told him as he nodded.

"Alright, makin' sure." he told me as Tess shook her head, amused.

"C'mon, Texas. Boost me up." she told Joel as he went over to the wall and got into position.

"You ready?" she asked as he nodded.

"Yes, ma'am." he responded as he boosted her up.

"Alright, Lilly. You're up." Joel said as I nodded.

"C'mon on up, Little Tex." Tess taunted as I smirked.

"Couldn't you have came up with a little something more creative than Little Texas. I ain't little, I'm a grown woman." I told her as Joel boosted me up as well.

"Perhaps, but you are just like your father." she said as I scoffed.

"Yeah, right." Joel and I both said as I scowled slightly.

"Not helping, Dad." I said as Tess laughed, holding out her arm.

"C'mon." she told Joel as he jumped up and she pulled him up with only one arm.

We walked ahead a little as Joel held up the fallen door covering the hole.

"Go on." he told us as Tess and I slipped out before holding it up.

"Got it." I said as it was Joel's turn to slide through.

Once he was out, we carefully and gently put the door back in place.

"Be careful." he told Tess as she was heading for the door.

"When am I not?" she responded as he laughed faintly.

"That a trick question? You're 'bout as careful as Lillian." he said as I pointed at him.

"I resent that." I told him as he shook his head and we followed Tess outside.

"Ain't been out here in a while." Joel said as I smelled the air.

"It's like we're on a date." Tess said as I shook my head.

"Well, I'm the romantic type." Joel said as I made a face at him.

"You've got your ways." Tess said as I covered my ears.

"Can we stop now? Please? It's gettin' kinda weird." I said as they went quiet.

"Where's the ladder?" I asked, looking around.

"It's gotta be around here somewhere." Joel said as we started searching in the grass and debris.

"Got it." Joel answered as I looked over to where he was.

"Great. Bring it over." Tess said as we waited for him to come over with the ladder.

He eventually made it over to us and placed the ladder down.

"Ladies first." Joel said, motioning at us.

Tess scoffed as she started up the ladder.

"Lady? You must be thinking of someone else." she said as she reached the top.

"It's all relative." he told her, laughing slightly.

"Thanks, Joel." I said as I made it up to the top.

"This way." Tess instructed as we followed her to the next area.

I went into the abandoned kitchen and started scavenging.

"Hey, found some parts." I mumbled to myself as I put them in my bag.

I walked into the next room and picked up a Firefly pendant.

"Huh. Wonder why they left you behind?" I asked it as I also placed the item in my bag.

"Lillian, you okay?" Joel called out as I zipped up my bag.

"I'm fine! Just scavenging!" I told him as I met back up with them.

"Down through here." Tess said as we turned our flashlights on while going down the stairs.

"You think Robert's still got our guns?" I asked the others as we made our way through.

"For his sake...he better." Joel answered as I went quiet.

"Look, once we get our merchandise back, it should be easy to unload." Tess said as I nodded.

"Speaking of merchandise, when's the next shipment due?" I asked as I looked around for anything we could use.

"Well, we're meeting Bill next month, more pills, lots of ammo, supposedly." Tess answered.

"Yeah, well he always shows up with somethin'. Should keep us busy for a while." Joel answered as I went to take a step.

"Hold up. Spores." Tess told me as Joel pulled me back by my backpack.

We put our gas masks on as Joel looked at me.

"Got it?" he asked as I nodded.

"I'm good." I told him as we started walking forwards.

"Where the hell are all these comin' from? Place was clear last time." I told them as it became harder to see clearly.

I hate spores.

"They're coming outta somethin'. Stay alert." Tess told me as Joel looked at me.

"Stay close." he said as I nodded.

"I ain't goin' anywhere." I said as we crouched down and started going through.

"There's our culprit." Joel said as I spotted the body.

"Body's not that old. Better keep your eyes and ears open." Tess said as we stood up.

"We should be able to fit through here." I said, moving the wooden beam.

"Oh, shit." I said as some of the ceiling collapsed and I protected my head.

"Lillian!" Joel said, pulling me back.

"You okay?" Tess asked as I nodded at them.

"Yeah. Damn ceiling's falling apart." I answered as I looked back.

"This way." I told them, moving on ahead

"Be careful." Joel said as we started making our way through the rubble.

"Easy..." I said as a hand suddenly reached out and I heard a cough.

"Lillian!" Joel said as I was pushed ahead and he put me behind him while he had Tess next to him.

"Help...me. My mask broke. Don't...don't leave me to turn. Please." the man told us as we looked at Joel.

"What do you wanna do?" Tess asked as he looked at me.

"You should put him out of his misery, Joel." I said softly as Joel raised his gun and shot the poor soul in the head.

"Poor bastard." Tess said as Joel kept me close.

"From now on, you stay either behind or beside me. No taking the lead. Understand?" he told me as I nodded.

"Crystal." I answered as we walked on.

That's when I heard a noise.

"Up ahead. You hear that?" Tess asked as Joel shushed her before we took cover near the wall

I focused my hearing as I could hear at least three of the infected.

Well, this is gonna be fun.


	8. Summer-The Quarantine Zone Part Four

"How do you wanna handle it?" Tess asked as we looked at him.

"I'm gonna sneak up behind the one that's in front of us." he whispered as he looked at me.

"Stay with Tess." he ordered quietly as I sighed.

"Fine." I whispered as Joel disappeared around the corner.

I peeked out to see him strangle the infected man as I quietly walked down the hall.

"Lillian? What are you doing? Joel said-" Tess said quietly as I held up a finger, spotting two more infected feeding on a corpse.

"Jesus.." I whispered as I saw Joel shoot one of the distracted infected.

I fired my own gun, killing it before it had a chance to attack him.

"Alright, that's all of 'em." Tess said, standing up.

Joel looked at me as he walked over to me.

"Nice work, Lillian." he said, patting my shoulder.

"Thanks, Joel." I said, smiling slightly behind my mask.

"Let's hope so." he responded to Tess as I looked at my clip.

Empty.

"Well, that's just great." I mumbled, putting the clip back into my gun.

"Let's head back into the city." she said as I nodded.

"Yeah. I just wanna get outta here." I added as we continued to walk.

I found some bandages as I put them in my bag.

Joel opened a door and picked up some ammo on the table before loading his gun. I also managed to scrap up a full clip as I loaded my pistol. We walked up some stairs as I walked into a room. I picked up some more bandages as I saw a piece of paper. I read it over as my face fell. A group of people ran into this building and didn't notice the spores until it was to late and he would never see his brother again.

"They got infected trying to sneak into the zone." I said as I looked at Joel and Tess.

"Tsh. As much as everyone complains about it. You got all these poor bastards wishing they were living on the inside." Tess said as Joel nodded.

"C'mon, let's go." he said as we walked across a fallen plank and jumped down, finally outside.

"About time." I said, taking off my mask.

I put it in my bag as Tess took a deep breathe.

"Ahh.. some fresh air." Tess said as I smiled slightly.

"That's the one thing I love about the outside. Fuckin' hate the smell of the city." Tess said as I chuckled lightly.

"Why don't you ask Bill to get you some of them air fresheners?" I asked her, slightly amused.

"Hey, if they weren't expired, that'd be a good idea." she told me as we made our way to the false wall.

"Through here." Tess said, opening it slightly.

She walked in as Joel motioned me.

"Go on." he told me as I nodded.

"Yeah, yeah." I said, crouching down and following behind Tess.

"Cover the entrance." Tess told Joel as he nodded.

"I got it." he said, closing it behind him.

We climbed up as Tess sighed.

"Damn it. Plank fell down. Be a dear, would you?" Tess asked Joel but I was already on my way back down.

"I'll get it!" I said as Joel sighed.

"Lillian!" he called out but I was already at the plank.

"I said I got it, Joel!" I told him as I picked it up.

"Thanks, Lilly. Pass it to me." she said as I nodded.

"It's a bit heavy." I told her as she scoffed lightly.

"I think I can handle it." she said with a light scoff.

"Alright." I told her as she picked it up and placed it down.

"Get your ass up here. Let's move." she told me as Joel looked at her.

"Bossy today." he commented as I scoffed lightly.

"She's always bossy." I muttered as I made it back to them.

"Don't ever pull a stunt like that again." Joel told me as I looked at him.

"Okay." I said as we crossed the plank and dropped down, reaching a street.

"Let's make sure there aren't any soldiers around." Joel said as he stayed close to me.

Tess walked ahead and looked around before nodding.

"It's clear. C'mon." Tess said as we followed her, vaulting over a obstacle.

We made it to an apartment as Tess looked at Joel.

"Shut it." she told him as he closed the door and we walked into a room.

"Pick up that ammo. I'm sure we'll need it." Tess said as I picked up a clip before throwing one to Joel.

"Thanks." he said as Tess knocked on the door.

A young boy opened the door as Tess looked down at him.

"Hey, little man." Tess said as she took out a ration card.

"Make sure the coast is clear. No soldiers. None of Robert's men. Yeah?" she told him as he nodded.

She handed him the ration card as the door closed again.

"You know he's expecting us." I told them, watching the boy walk off.

"Well, that'll make it more interesting." she told me as I looked at Joel.

He shrugged as the lookout knocked on the window.

"Clear to go. C'mon." she said as she opened the door.

"Lillian, I want you to stay close, yeah? I don't like the looks of some of these people." Joel said as I nodded.

"You got it." I said as we walked outside.

"Hey Tess, hey Tess. Hey, pretty lady, how you doin' today?" a man asked as Tess looked at him.

"Now right now, Terence." Tess told him as he shook his head.

"No, no, it's good." he told her as she gave him a look.

"Not...now. You hear me?" she asked as he raised his hands in surrender.

"Okay. I can do that. No need to get all huffy-puffy about it." he told her as we walked on.

"Aw, dogs." I said as Joel lightly pushed me.

"I'm going, I'm going." I told him as we continued on, seeing the looks we were getting.

"You touch it. You buy it." a man said as I looked at him.

I didn't touch anything." I snapped slightly as Joel kept me going.

"Don't talk to these people" Joel said as we moved on.

More people continued to try and talk to Tess as we got onto an abandoned bus, seeing people fighting outside the window.

"Where the hell do you two think you're goin'?" some man asked, getting up and into our faces.

Joel put me behind him as we gave him hard looks.

"Malick. Sit back down." Tess's voice said as she boarded the bus.

"Oh, sorry, Tess. Didn't realize you three were together. Go on ahead." Malick said as he moved out of the way.

Joel grabbed my wrist and led me through as we walked out of the bus.

"Who's that?" Joel asked as he let go of my wrist and I rubbed it.

"Talk about a death grip." I said as Tess sighed.

"An old headache. Don't ask." she said as we nodded.

I walked over to a wall and picked up a wanted poster of a woman who was wanted for Firefly association.

We walked over to a guy as Tess got next to him and handed him a ration card.

"I'm lookin' for Robert. He come through here?" she asked him.

"Half hour ago. He went back to the wharf. He's there now." he answered as she nodded slightly.

We walked through the gate as I saw a Firefly symbol on the wall. We walked out into a open area as I saw some of Robert's goons.

"Here we go." I said as Joel kept me behind him but I broke away from his grasp, remaining next to him.

They approached us as they were blocking our way.

"Let us through." Tess ordered as they didn't budge.

"You guys need to turn around and head back if you know what's good for you." one man threatened us.

"Our beef isn't with you. We just want Robert. You don't wanna do this." Tess said as I nodded.

"Turn the fuck around and leave now." he ordered.

"I'm not going anywhere without Robert." Tess countered.

"Bitch, I will bash your skull unless you turn around and get your dumb ass outta here." he said as Joel kept close to me.

"Fuck this." Tess said as she shot the man in the head.

"Go, go!" Joel said, putting me behind cover.

"Take cover!" another goon said as we all did so.

I pulled out my gun and loaded it as Tess looked at us.

"You ready?" she asked as Joel took out his pistol.

"Yeah." he answered as I peeked out over the boxes.

"Lilly and I'll cover you. Get the angle on them." Tess said as he got ready to run.

"Keep her safe." he told Tess as I sighed.

"Don't I always?" she responded as the firefight began.

We shot and killed all the remaining foes as I still had a little bit of ammo.

"Nicely done, Texans." Tess said as we nodded.

"You too." Joel said as I looked around.

"How the hell did he get all of these guys?" I asked, looking at the bodies.

"If Robert's good at one thing, it's writing blank checks. Let's go put an end to that." Tess said as I reloaded my gun.

"Let's get going then." Joel said to us.


	9. Summer-The Quarantine Zone Part Five

We walked down through a tunnel to see a gate.

"Shit. Not goin' through there." Tess said as she looked at Joel.

"Hey. Boost me up." she told him as he nodded.

He walked over and got up against the wall, cupping his hands.

"Alright, c'mon..." he told Tess as he got her up.

""Gimme your hands." she told us as Joel looked at me and motioned his head.

"Go on ahead, Lilly." he said as I nodded, jumping up and grabbing Tess's hand.

She pulled me up as she patted my shoulder.

"There's one." she said as I chuckled lightly.

I kept an eye out on our surroundings until Joel joined us at the top.

"There you go." she said as Joel rearranged his pack.

"Alright." he commented we continued on our way.

We reached a fence as Joel looked around while Tess and I were close to the gate.

"Over here, Joel." I said as we were standing next to a hole in the fence.

We crouched down to get through the gate and jumped down, quickly finding cover.

"More of Robert's guys." Tess said lowly as I saw a couple of people coming out of a building.

"Shit. I see 'em." Joel said quietly as I peered out from our hiding spot.

"Two of our guys dies trying to take Tess out. I guarantee that see and Joel plus his kid are on their way, right now, to get Robert." One of the men stated as I nodded my head while Joel looked at Tess who just merely gave him a shrugging motion .

"Damn straight." I whispered as Joel cut me a look and I raised my hands in mock surrender.

Not like they heard me or anything.

"Jesus. We shouldn't a taken this job." the second man added as they continued their patrol.

"Not our call. Let's spread out and make no one's creeping around here." the first man added as I started paying more attention to my surroundings and to the footsteps of the men.

"Nice and quiet, Texans." Tess told us as she sneakily moved up.

"You stay close, understand?" Joel whispered as I scoffed slightly.

"I got it, Joel." I snipped quietly as Tess silently took out one of the men.

"And then there was one." I mumbled as he walked off.

"Move up. Move up." Tess told us as we did so, hiding behind more boxes.

We entered the building as Joel and I hid behind a desk. We moved up next to the door as I heard voices.

"I meant to tell you, I was down on Jordan Street, and all these soldiers showed up with a group of about five civs, all in handcuffs." a man said as we watched them.

"Let me guess,Fireflies?" another voice joined the fray as I examined the area.

"Yup, they lined 'em up against the wall and bang, bang, bang, they just executed all of 'em." the first voice said as my eyes went wide.

"Holy shit." the second man replied as Tess took out her gun and looked at us.

"I'll take on out, you get the other." she whispered as we nodded, silently exited the building.

"Yeah, I hear it's like that all over the city. They're cracking down on 'em hard." the first voice faintly said as we reached another entry point.

Turns out, the second man had a cousin with the Fireflies and hoped he was alright. These two soon won't be. Joel sneaked up behind one of them and strangled him where as Tess slit the man's throat.

"There's another one. Over there." Tess said as we quickly and quietly got out of the building.

"I got 'em." I said quietly as I pulled out my knife from my boot.

I got behind the guy before grabbing him and stabbing his chest a couple times and he fell to the ground, dead.

"Look what we have here." I said, picking up a key.

"Nice job, Lilly. Let's search the area." Tess said as we rushed back into the building and I started scavenging for supplies.

"Lilly, c'mon." Joel said as I sighed.

"Yes, father." I mocked as I got to the door and unlocked it using the warehouse key.

I heard voices as Joel quickly pushed me to cover as we all stayed down.

"Hey, we consolidated the crates in the south warehouse. Supplies are locked up." a voice said as a few people passed the doorway.

"Good, let's do another once-over and then head out. It's getting too close to curfew." another voice added as I looked at Joel.

He shook his head and the look on his face meant that I shouldn't worry about it. I couldn't help but do so anyway.

"What about Robert? Who's he holing up with tonight? Guy's too paranoid to stay here by himself." another man said as I snorted quietly.

"With good reason." I said quietly as Tess chuckled softly.

"Fuck if I know. We'll check in with the others and come up with something." the second voice said as I picked up a bottle.

I threw it as it got some attention.

We took out a couple of guards before being spotted.

They started firing at us as I took out my pistol. One of them got a lucky shot in as I fell onto my back.

"Lillian!" Joel said as he shot the man dead and I got back to my feet.

"Are you alright?" he asked as I nodded.

"I've had worse." I responded as we continued our firefight.

We eventually killed them all as I reloaded my pistol. We walked up the stairs and started looking around.

"Hey, look what I found." I said, holding up a shiv.

I placed it in my pack as I continued to find more supplies before we went back down the stairs. Joel pulled a chain continuously as Tess and I went under it. He soon let it go and met us on the other side as I looked around. We found more cover to hid behind as there were a lot of guys.

"There's our boy." Tess said, pointing.

I looked in the direction of her hand to in face see Robert himself. I watched as he walked away and Tess scoffed, looking at us.

"That cocky son of a bitch." she stated as I kept my eyes on the men.

"Let's go wrap this up." Joel said as I nodded.

"Here here." I added as I vaulted over where we were and hid behind a crate. The men were talking about lost shipments and losing contacts. S

So that's why they were playing bodyguard.

"Let's be smart about this. There's a lot of 'em." Tess said as I nodded.

I picked up a piece of paper next to dumpster before handing it to Joel.

"Some sort of shipping manifest." I told him as he read over it.

"This guy's wheeling and dealing with everyone in town." Joel stated as he put it in his pack.

After a few minutes of sneaking around, someone found one of the bodies.

"Oh shit!" a voice yelled out as one of them saw me.

"There they are!" he yelled as I started shooting at them.

We soon killed all of them as I had been hit and shot a few good times.

"You alright, Lilly?" Joel asked as I nodded, wrapping my wounds up with a bandage.

I ripped it with my teeth as I looked at him.

"I'm good." I replied as we reached a door.

"That office. Robert must've run in there Let's go." she said as Joel kicked the door in.

We soon reach other door as I opened it only to be dodging bullets.

Joel pulled me next to him as Tess was on the other side of the door.

"Oh shit! Get back! Get the fuck back!" Robert shouted as we remained where we were.

"We ain't go fuckin' nothin' to talk about." Robert yelled as Tess peeked inside.

"Put your gun down!" Tess yelled, clearly getting aggravated.

He fired a shot at her as I heard his gun click.

"He's outta ammo." I said quietly to them.

"Go fuck yourself!" he shouted before the gun went flying at us and it hit the wall.

"He's running!" Tess shouted as we started chasing after him.

"Robert!" Joel shouted as we continued running.

"Screw you, Joel!" Robert yelled in response as Tess motioned us.

"Joel, Lilly, this way!" Tess said as we continued our chase.

"C'mon, he ran in here!" Tess said as I saw Robert turn the corner.

"Robert, come here!" I shouted as I took off after him.

"You stay the hell away from me, Lillian!" Robert shouted as none of us were giving up.

I turned the corner as Robert knocked a trash can over.

"We almost got him!" I yelled as Joel was right behind me.

"C'mon, c'mon." Joel said as Tess pointed.

"Joel- this way!" she said as we started running again.

"He's right there!" I said as we vaulted out of the window and saw Robert trying to get a gate opened.

"Come on." he said to himself as he didn't know we were there.

Not yet anyway.

"Hello, Robert." Tess said as he chuckled before he turned to look at us.

"Tess. Joel. Lillian." Robert said as he walked towards us.

"No hard feelings, right?" he asked as Tess smirked.

"None at all." she said as she picked up a pipe.

"Alright..." he said, raising his hands.

That's when he tried running again.

Tess got him in the kneecap with the pipe as he hit the ground.

"Ah...goddammit!" he said in pain as Tess threw the pipe down.

"We missed you." Tess said as I crossed my arms.

"Look, whatever it is you heard, it ain't true, okay? I just want to say-" he said as Tess interrupted.

"The guns. You wanna tell us where the guns are?" Tess asked him.

"Yeah, sure, but...it's complicated. Alright?" he said as Tess looked at Joel and I.

We started making our way over to him as he looked at Tess.

"Look, alright, just hear me out on this. I gotta-" he said as Joel kicked him right in the face.

"Fuck..." Robert said as Joel positioned Robert to where Joel could easily break his arm while I placed my foot in the square of Robert's back, putting all of my weight on it

"Ah, Stop. Stop. Stop" Robert said, his voice getting higher with panic.

"Quit your squirmin'." Tess said as she bent down to his level, gun in hand.

"You were saying?" she asked as Joel and I stood ready.


	10. Summer-The Quarantine Zone Part Six

If it wouldn't hurt to ask, could somebody maybe draw me a cover image for this story or maybe Lillian for me? I've tried drawing but I just can't get the hang of it and I have no money to pay a pro to do it. PM, if interested!

* * *

"I sold 'em." Robert said as my eyes widened.

Tess gave us a look before glaring back down at him.

"Excuse me?" she asked as I applied more pressure down onto his spinal cord area.

"I didn't have much of a choice. I owed someone." he said as I looked at Joel.

"I'm callin' bullshit." I told him as I returned my attention on the scum beneath my boot.

Literally.

"You owed us." Tess countered as she nodded her head slightly.

"I say you bet on the wrong horse." she informed him as I leaned forward, resting my arm on my knee.

"Dammit, Lillian!" Robert said as he looked at Tess.

"Just gimme more time. Just gimme a week." he told them, desperately trying to save his own skin.

"You know, I might have done that if you hadn't tried to fucking kill me." Tess snapped at him as I shook my head.

There was no bargaining with Tess right now.

"C'mon, it wasn't like-" Robert started when I raised my foot up to only slam it back down onto his back.

He yelled in pain as I kept my foot on the square of his back.

"Who has our guns?" Tess interrogated him as he took a breath.

"I can't." he said as we all looked up and Joel sighed.

"Just give me a couple of days-" Robert said as Joel broke his arm and he yelped in pain while he tried to roll onto his side.

"Let him go, Lillian." Joel said as I removed my foot and allowed him to move before walking over to Joel's side.

"Fucking..." he said as Tess looked down at him again.

"Who has our guns?" she asked again, more sternly and slowly this time around.

He took a couple of pained breaths before looking up at her.

"The Fireflies. I owed the Fireflies." he finally told us as our heads snapped to him.

"What?" Tess questioned as I couldn't believe it.

He gave all of our guns to the Fireflies?

"Look, they're basically all dead. We can just-Just go in there, finish 'em off." he started as I raised an eyebrow at him.

"We get the guns. Whaddya say?" he asked as we got to our feet.

"C'mon. Fuck those Fireflies. Let's go get 'em." Robert said as we all looked at him, Tess with her pistol in hand.

Tess looked at us as we returned eye contact.

"That is a stupid idea." she said as she shot Robert in the head.

Joel took a deep breath as I ran a hand through my messy black hair.

"Well, now what?" Joel questioned as my blue eyes looked at Tess.

She looked at Joel before shaking her head slightly.

"We go get our merchandise back." she told us as I started having doubts.

"How?" Joel and I questioned her.

"I don't know. We explain it to them." she said,moving her shoulders up.

"What are we gonna say, Tess? Oh, sorry. This was all some big misunderstanding? I'm sure they'll listen." I told her as she gave me a look.

"Now's not the time for one of your smartass remarks." she said as I held my hands up in mock surrender.

"Alright, alright." I said as she looked at us.

"Look, let's go find a Firefly." she said, her voice going softer.

"You won't have to look very far." a new voice said as we all spun around to where the voice was coming from.

A woman came from around the corner, holding her side. She seemed wounded.

"There you go-queen Firefly." Joel said, motioning his arm at the woman.

"Why are you here?" she questioned us.

"Business." Tess replied shortly as she nodded her head.

"You're not looking so hot." Tess added as the woman looked down at her injury then looking around.

"Where's Robert?" she questioned as Tess moved out of the way, revealing his corpse.

She chuckled before lowering her head and shaking it.

"I needed him alive." she told Tess as Joel and kicked some pieces of glass on the ground.

"The guns he gave you, they weren't his to sell. I want them back." Tess told her as she shook her head.

"Doesn't work like that, Tess." she told Tess as I watched the power play continue.

"The hell it doesn't." Tess replied as I scratched the back of my neck.

"I paid for those guns." the woman said, walking towards us.

"You want 'em back? You're gonna have to earn 'em." she told us as she stopped walking and Tess looked back at us before looking back forward.

"How many cards are we talking?" Tess asked as she started shaking her head.

"I don't give a damn about ration cards. I need something smuggled out of the city." she told Tess as that got my attention.

"You do that- I'll give you your guns and then some." the woman said to Tess as Joel walked forward, arms crossed.

"How do we know you got 'em?" Joel asked as I walked up next to him before nodding.

"Yeah. It doesn't add up" I added as Joel kept his eyes on her.

"Way I hear it, the military's been wiping you guys out." Joel said, his arms remaining crossed.

He walked up closer to her but motioned me to stay back with Tess.

"You're right about that." the woman said grimly, looking awake.

"I'll show you the weapons." she said as I heard noises.

"Search the area." a voice said as we all looked that way.

"Yes sir." another voice replied as the woman looked at us.

"I gotta move. What's it gonna be?" she asked, already backing up.

"I wanna see those guns." Tess said as I moved up next to Joel.

"Stay close." he told me as I nodded.

"Follow me." she said as we rushed ahead.

"We gotta get out of here-now." Tess said as I heard the soldiers shouting behind us.

"You want this deal, we gotta move." she said as we hurried up some steps.

"Through here." she instructed as we turned down an alleyway.

"I know a way around this. C'mon." she said as we jumped over some boxes, knocking some paint cans over.

We climbed up some more boxes before the woman jumped up and brought the ladder down.

We got up it before going up more flights of stairs to the rooftops.

That's when I both saw and heard an explosion.

"Oh, shit. Is that your people?" I asked as I looked at her.

"What's left of them." she said simply as she looked at me.

"Why do you think I'm turning to you guys?" she asked before sighing.

"This way." she said as we started walking along the rooftops.

"So, why now?" Joel asked as we walked.

"We've been quiet." the woman started as I adjusted my bag and reloaded my gun.

"Been planning on leaving the city, but they need a scapegoat. They've been trying to rile us up." she explained as Joel looked at her.

"Looks like they did."he told her as she gave him a look.

"We're trying to defend ourselves." she defended as I scoffed lightly.

"Uh huh." I mumbled as I jumped down into a warehouse via the broken window.

I grabbed some supplies before seeing she was having trouble with the door.

"Joel, give me a hand with this." she told him as he walked over to the other side of the door.

They pulled it open as we continued on our way, going down some steps.

"Hey, how you holding up?" Tess asked her.

"I'll live." she replied as I was starting to become unsure.

I then saw her take cover as we approached her and she was armed.

"Hold up. Soldiers." she said as I peeked out, seeing them.

"That's the way out. The door under the bridge." she said as Joel looked at me then back to her.

"Ain't a big fan of these odds." Joel said as we all looked at her.

"We can sneak by them, even though I know that's not you're style." she told us as Tess nodded her head.

"We'll see how it goes. Let's get moving." she said as I nodded, crouching down.

"We need to get to that door." I said quietly, spotting it up ahead.

We reached yet more stairs and hurried up them as well.

"What's with all of the stairs?" I asked myself.

We took cover as I heard more voices.

"I'll get this one. You go around and get the other one." Tess whispered as Joel nodded, looking at me.

"Stay here." he told me as I saw him leave.

I saw the guard disappear from sight as Tess got the other one.

"Good, stay quiet." the woman said as we moved on.

We took out more guards as we finally reached the door.


	11. Summer-The Quarantine Zone Part Seven

"Go on. Get inside." Marlene said as Joel opened the door and held it open for the rest of us to go through.

We hurried into the building as Joel closed the door before Marlene and Tess pushed over a couple of lockers, blocking it.

"Where are we going, Marlene?" Tess asked as I looked around, one hand on my dark brown backpack.

"This way." Marlene said lightly as she walked on.

She's not looking to good.

"It's not far now." Marlene informed us as we followed behind her.

I looked around at all of the wooden beams and torn up tarps as I looked back ahead of me.

"How are you holding up?" Tess asked as she looked at me.

She was thinking the same thing I was.

"I'm running on fumes...but I'll make it." Marlene assured us as I nodded slightly.

"The place is right up ahead." she told us as we were going in and out of small rooms.

"Attention. Curfew is now in full effect. Anyone caught outside without the proper authorization will be arrested and prosecuted." a voice said over the loudspeaker.

"Shit. We need to hurry." Tess said as we went into another building.

"What the hell are we smuggling?" Joel and I asked Marlene.

"I'll show you." Marlene said as I sighed.

Yeah, she'd better show us.

We walked up some more stairs as we reached what looked like some sort of kitchen.

Marlene told Joel to helped her get the door open as he did so.

They got it open as Marlene fell to the ground.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Come on now, get up." Joel said, reaching for her.

"Get the fuck away from her!" a young voice said as I saw a girl running at us with a knife.

Before she could do anything, Tess grabbed her arm.

"Hey,hey,hey-" Tess told her as the girl struggled.

"Let her go." Marlene said as Tess did so and the girl looked at Tess then to me.

She had red hair tied up into a ponytail and had green eyes. She wore a short sleeve red shirt with a palm tree design over a long sleeve black shirt and had a pack on her back along with blue jeans.

At least hers weren't as holey as mine were. I gotta find a better pair to wear sometime.

"You're recruitin' kind of young, aren't ya?" Joel asked as he helped Marlene up and she used a nearby table for support.

"She's not one of mine." Marlene said as the girl must have saw her wound.

"Shit. What happened?" the girl asked as she rushed over to Marlene, helping her walk.

"Don't worry. This is fixable." Marlene reassured her as she nodded towards us.

"I got us help..." Marlene said as the girl looked at us then back to Marlene.

"But I can't come with you." Marlene told her as the girl shook her head.

"Well then I'm staying." she said as Marlene shook her head slightly.

"Ellie, we won't have another shot at this." Marlene told her.

Wait...

I looked at Joel who nodded before walking towards Marlene.

"Hey- We're smuggling her?" Joel asked as I adjusted the sleeves on my light blue button up shirt.

"There's a crew of Fireflies that'll meet you at the Capital building." Marlene said as I looked up.

"That's not exactly close, you know." I told her as she sent me a look.

"You're capable." she said as I looked at Tess.

"You hand her off, come back, the weapons are yours. Double what Robert sold me." Marlene told Tess as we walked over behind her, looking out of the window.

I used the reflection of the glass window to straighten out my black hair. I've always kept it long and straight. Nice and simple.

"Speaking of which- where are they?" Tess questioned as I sat down, retying the strings on my light brown boots.

"Back at our camp." Marlene said as Tess let out a slight scoff before looking at Joel and I as we crossed our arms.

"We're not smuggling shit until I see them." Tess told her as I noticed Ellie kept on looking at Joel then to me and then back to Joel.

What was her deal?

"You'll follow me. You can verify the weapons. I can get patched up." Marlene told her as she pointed to Ellie.

"But she's not crossing into that part of town." Marlene said sternly as I raised an eyebrow.

"Then where is she gonna go?" I asked as Marlene looked at Joel and I.

"I want Joel and Lillian to watch over her." Marlene said as my eyes went wide.

"No way!" I said as we walked towards her.

"Whoa, whoa. I don't think that's the best idea." Joel said as I nodded.

"Bullshit! I'm not going with them." Ellie shouted, pointing at us.

"Ellie." Marlene said sternly as Ellie fell silent.

She sighed as she glanced at us then looked back at Marlene.

"How do you know them?" Ellie asked her.

"I was close to his brother, Tommy." Marlene said as I looked at her when she mentioned my uncle's name.

"Said if I was ever in a jam I could rely on him and Lillian." Marlene said as she looked at us.

"Was that before or after he left your little militia group?" Joel asked as I looked at him, memories coming back to me.

"He left you and Lillian too. He was a good man." Marlene informed him as Ellie looked at me.

I could see the wheels in her head turning as she shook it, looking away from me.

Tess walked up to us and we looked at her.

"Look, just take her to the north tunnel and wait for me there." Tess said as we looked down.

"Jesus Christ." Joel said as I placed my hands on my hips.

"She's just cargo, Joel." Tess said simply, raising her arms.

"This is insane." I mumbled to myself.

"Marlene..." Ellie said but Marlene shook her head.

"No more talking." Marlene said softly as she nodded.

"You'll be fine." Marlene told her as she stood up.

"Now go with them." she told Ellie as we looked at Tess.

"Don't take long." Joel said as she nodded.

"And you- stay close." he told Ellie before walking ahead.

"C'mon, Lillian." Joel said as I nodded, looking back at Ellie.

"Let's get going." I told her as she walked up next to me.

"Name's Lillian. You can call me Lilly for short." I told her as I held my hand out.

"Just Ellie." she said, shaking my hand.


	12. Author's Note!

I just wanted to thank everyone who has viewed, favorited, and added this story to the alerts! Big SPECIAL thanks to the guest drawing Lillian for me! To answer your review, her eyes are a light blue. If anyone ever wants to talk about The Last of Us or talk about video games in general, you can contact me at Unchartedfreaks


	13. Summer-The Quarantine Zone Part Eight

Sorry for the late update! Exams are coming up and I've had three hours worth of homework each night! I will try and update more if I can! Summer is soon upon us!

* * *

We walked outside after Joel as I saw the bodies lying all around the ground.

"Whoa...I heard all of the shooting, but..." Ellie said as she sighed.

What happened?" Ellie asked as I picked up a Firefly pendant as Joel sighed slightly.

"The Fireflies." he said as I looked at him.

"Same thing's gonna happen to us if we don't get off of the street." Joel said as I glanced around, making sure we were alone.

"You two are the pros. I'm just following you." Ellie said as we walked down a small set of stairs.

I reloaded my gun as the loudspeaker came to life.

"Attention. Harboring or aiding wanted criminals is punishable by death. Do not place yourself at risk. Report any suspicious activity immediately." the voice said as I scoffed.

"I hate that damn thing." I mumbled under my breath as we walked through the abandoned parking lot, seeing military trucks drive by.

"Down here." Joel said as we went down more stairs. I turned my head to make sure Ellie was still behind us.

We made it up more steps as Joel looked behind him to Ellie.

"C'mon, keep up." Joel told her as she scoffed lightly.

"I am." she responded as I gave Joel a look.

He shook his head as we continued on our way.

The trucks passed by again as the loudspeaker repeated its message.

We walked down an alley as I adjusted one of my pack straps.

"Where are we going?" Ellie asked curiously.

"Up there, that'll get us to the north tunnel." I told her, pointing.

She nodded before looking at it.

"How are we supposed to reach that?" she asked as Joel sighed.

"Just gimme minute." Joel said as I looked at Ellie.

"Probably be more than a minute." I told her with a wink as she chuckled lightly.

"Hush, Lillian." Joel said as I sighed.

"Sure thing, Joel." I told him as he went around a corner and came back pushing a dumpster.

He put it right below the platform so we could use it to pull ourselves up.

Joel went up first as I followed him.

Joel started up the stairs as I glanced back to make sure Ellie was behind us.

We entered the old apartments as Joel looked at me.

"You alright?" he asked as I nodded.

"I'm fine." I said as Ellie looked around.

"This tunnel...you use it to smuggle things?" she asked as we started walking again.

"Yep." Joel and I answered shortly.

"Like illegal things?" she asked as we looked at each other.

"Sometimes." we answered in unison again.

"You ever smuggle a kid before?" Ellie asked as I sighed, getting slightly annoyed at all of the questions.

"No. That's a first." Joel said as I nodded.

"What's the deal with you and Marlene, anyway?" Joel asked as we walked down the hallway.

"I don't know. She's my friend, I guess." Ellie said as I looked at her.

She's friends with the leader of the Fireflies?

"Your friend, huh? You're friends with the leader of the Fireflies." I spoke as she looked at us.

"What're you, like twelve?" Joel asked as I examined her.

She looked older than that.

"She knew my mom, and she's been looking after me. And I"m fourteen, not that that has anything to do with anything." Ellie said.

"So, where are your parents?" I questioned her.

"Where are anyone's parents?" she asked as my eyes subconsciously looked over to Joel.

"They've been gone a long, long, time." she said as I stayed quiet.

"Hm. So instead of just staying in school, you decide to run off and join the Fireflies, is that it?" Joel asked as I looked at him while we walked up a flight of stairs.

I didn't go to anything close to a school after that night. Why should any of these kids?

"Look, I'm not supposed to tell either of you why you're smuggling me, if that's what you're getting at." Ellie said as we looked at her.

"You wanna know the best thing about our job? We don't gotta know why." I told her as Joel nodded.

"Be honest with you, I could give two shits about what you're up to." Joel told her.

"Well great." Ellie told us as I shook my head.

"Good." Joel and I told her as I looked out of the broken window as we continued moving.

We got to the end of the hall as Joel opened the apartment door.

"This is it." I told Ellie as we got inside and Joel shut the door.

Ellie stood rather awkwardly as Joel marched over to the couch and fluffed the pillow before lying down, one hand behind his head.

"What are you doing?" Ellie asked as she held her arms out.

"Killing time." Joel said simply as his eyes closed.

"Well, what am I supposed to do?" Ellie asked as I smiled slightly.

"I am sure you will figure that out." Joel said sleepily as Ellie took a deep breath.

She past by Joel before seeing the watch Sarah and I gave him.

"Your watch is broken." Ellie told him as he let out a breath.

She sat down on the chair as I walked over to her, sitting down next to her.

"So, how are you?" I asked, trying to make a conversation.

"As good as I can be." she said as I ran a hand through my hair.

"Is that a scar? What happened?" she asked as I chuckled faintly.

"Its a long story, Ellie." I told her as I rested my arm on the chair and rested my cheek against my fist.

"Joel's your dad, isn't he?" Ellie asked suddenly as my eyes opened and I looked at her.

"I've seen the way you two act around each other. Besides, you two look alike." she said as I gave a light smile.

"Yeah, he's my dad." I told her as I yawned.

"Get some rest." I advised her.

"It's gonna be a long trip." I mumbled as I fell into sleep.


	14. AN!

Hey, guys! Sorry for the hiatus! I passed all my finals and the next chapter of The Last of Us will be published tomorrow! Also, if anyone wants to do any fanart or anything, I am okay with that! In fact, I'll put it on the story and give a link to whatever account you post it on! Expect a lot of updates here very soon!


	15. Summer-The Quarantine Zone Part Nine

I had to get my laptop fixed so sorry for the not updating! However, it is fully repaired and updates will be frequent now! :)

* * *

"Lillian. Hey, wake up." Ellie's voice said as my eyes opened and I rubbed one of them before looking out of the window.

It was dark now and it was raining. I always enjoyed the sound of the rain.

"Whatcha need?" I asked groggily as she shook her head.

"Nothing. You were mumbling in your sleep." Ellie said as I nodded.

"Sorry." I said as she smiled slightly.

"It's alright." she said as I heard Joel wake up with a sharp gasp.

"You mumble in your sleep. Lillian does too." Ellie said as Joel slowly sat up.

"I hate bad dreams." Ellie said as she looked out of the window.

"Yeah, me too." Joel said as he put his head into his hand.

He got up and walked over next to us.

"You know, I've never been this close." Ellie told us as she made a hand motion to the window.

"To the outside." she said as Joel walked away while Ellie moved up closer to the window.

"Look how dark it is." she said as I smiled slightly.

"Without the lights, that's the only thing left. Darkness." I told her as she nodded, distracted by the sights she was seeing.

Joel lit up a lantern as I stood up before walking over to Joel.

"Can't be any worse out there." she said as we stood stiffly while she got up off of the chair.

"Can it?" she asked as Joel looked at her.

"What on earth do the Fireflies want with you?" Joel asked as the door opened.

"Hey." Tess said as she entered the room and shut the door.

"Sorry it took so long. Soldiers fuckin' everywhere." Tess told us as she approached us.

"How's Marlene?" Ellie asked with a slightly concerned tone in her voice.

"She'll make it." Tess informed her as she nodded her head.

Tess then turned her attention to us.

"I saw the merchandise. It's a lot." Tess said as I raised an eyebrow.

Just for dropping off a kid?

"Wanna do this?" Tess asked us as I looked up at Joel.

"What the hell?" I said with a shrug of my shoulders as Joel nodded.

"Yeah." he said as Tess was on the move.

"Let's go." she said as we followed her into the next room, Ellie behind us.

It had starting storming as Tess glanced out of the window.

"Don't you think it's a bit strange that they're askin' us to do their smuggling?" Joel asked as we walked on either side of her.

"I agree. You would think Marlene would have wanted someone else to do it if the cargo was someone she knew personally." I added as Tess continued to look out of the window.

"Marlene wanted to do it herself. We weren't their first choice, or the second for that matter." Tess said as I scoffed.

"Well, damn. We shoulda known that." I commented as Joel sent me a look and I got quiet.

"She's lost a lot of men. Beggars can't be choosers." Tess said as I brushed off my shoulder.

"Yeah, let's just hope there's someone alive to pay us." Joel said as I nodded.

"I ain't doin' this for nothin'." I mumbled as Tess nodded.

"Someone'll be around." Tess assured us as I spotted something on the dresser in the previous room.

I walked over to it before seeing it was a list Tess had made. Food, meds, clothes, everything was on there. I placed it in my bag before walking back into the room with the others.

"Come on." Tess said softly as we went through a gap in the wall.

Joel finally got the generator going as the green light on the switch came on. We all got onto the elevator as I pushed the button and we started descending.

"Who's waitin' for us at the drop-off?" I asked Tess, who had her arms crossed, over the loud generator.

"She said there's some Fireflies that have traveled all the way from another city." Tess said as she looked at Ellie.

"Girl must be important." Tess said as we all looked at the kid.

"What is the deal with you? You some big-wig's daughter or something?" Tess asked her.

"Something like that." Ellie said cryptically as the elevator reached the bottom.

"How long is this all gonna take?" Ellie asked as I turned my flashlight on.

"If everything goes as planned, we should get you to them in a few hours." Tess said as Joel pulled me aside.

"Lillian, once we get out there, you stay right next to me. No running off, no exploring. You're not leaving my side." Joel said sternly as I heard Tess giving a similar rundown.

"Joel, I am not a kid anymore. I can take care of myself." I said as he gave me one of his hard looks.

"I don't care how old you are. You are my daughter and you will do what I say." Joel said as I sighed, looking down.

"Fine, I'll stay close. Happy?" I asked as he nodded, patting me on the shoulder.

I know he means well but I can handle things myself!

Most of the time, anyway.

We had to crouch down to go through a small tunnel before reaching the other side and I spotted a ladder.

I had a feeling things were about to get interesting.


	16. Summer- The Outskirts Part One

I watched as Joel climbed up the ladder and moved the wooden board out of the way.

"Now hold up. There's a patrol up ahead." Joel said quietly as we waited.

"Alright, we're good. Come on up." he said as Ellie climbed up first.

"C'mon, kid." Joel told her as she made it up and then it was Tess's turn.

"Watch your step." Joel said as we all made it up the ladder and Joel covered the secret hole back up.

I looked around as it was pouring down rain.

"This rain ain't gonna do us any good." Joel stated as I nodded.

"It certainly isn't gonna help." I mumbled, under my breath.

"Holy shit...I'm actually outside." Ellie said as I chuckled slightly, wiping the rain off of my face.

"Up this way." Joel said as we started going through an old trailer.

We made it through as someone suddenly hit Joel with their gun.

"Dad?!" I shouted as I took out my pistol and aimed it at the guard but it aimed their gun at me.

"Don't do anything stupid." she said as I didn't lower my gun.

"Lillian, stand down." Joel said in slight pain as I saw Ellie behind me, hands raised.

"Put the gun down!" she ordered as I did so and put my hands up, glaring at them.

"Move." the second guard said as we started walking.

"Turn around. On your knees." she said as I got next to Joel.

"It's alright." Joel whispered as I clenched my jaw.

"You scan 'em. I'l call it in." the female guard said as I sighed.

"Alright." the male one said before aiming the gun at us.

"Put your hands on your head." he instructed as we did so.

"This is Ramirez at Sector Twelve. Requesting pickup for four stragglers." she said as I looked around, looking for anything that could be helpful.

"Understood." she said as Tess looked up at the man.

"Look the other way. We can make this worth your while." she tried as he scoffed.

"Shut up." he said as he scanned her for any signs of infection.

He then scanned Joel.

"I'm getting tired of this shit." he said as he got to me.

"Yeah? Well, we're getting tired of you." I said as Joel cut me a hard look.

He then started going to Ellie who started freaking out.

"Oh, man. Oh, man." she said as she went to her foot.

"Sorry!" she said as she stabbed him in the leg and then fought for the gun.

He hit her as Joel tackled him and I shot the other one who was aiming their gun at him while Joel shot the other one.

"Oh...oh, fuck!" Ellie said as she had her back against the box, putting her knife away.

"I thought we were just gonna hold them up or something." Ellie said as I saw the scanner and I picked it up.

My eyes then went wide.

"Oh, shit." I said as Joel and Tess looked at me.

"Look." I said, throwing Joel the scanner.

"Jesus Christ." Joel murmured as I looked at her.

"Marlene set us up?" Joel asked Tess as I couldn't think straight.

"Why the hell are we smuggling an infected girl?" I asked them as Ellie shook her head.

"I'm not infected." she said as Joel snarled lowly.

"No? So was this lying?" he asked, throwing her the scanner.

"I can explain." Ellie said as we were surrounding her.

"You better explain fast." Tess warned her as I had a hand on my pistol.

Just in case.

Ellie then rolled her sleeve up, revealing a bite on her arm.

"Look at this!" She said as Joel scoffed.

"I don't care how you got infected." Joel told her as he turned around, waving a hand.

"It's three weeks old." she said as I shook my head.

"Quit your damn lying, girl!" I told her as Tess nodded.

"No. Everyone turns within two days. So you stop bullshitting." Tess told her as Ellie shook her head.

"It's three weeks. I swear." she promised as I ran a hand through my soaked hair.

"What the hell is goin' on here?" I whispered as I turned around, not knowing what to make of this.

"Why would Marlene set you up?" Ellie asked as I didn't have an answer for that.

I don't think any of us had an answer for any of this.

"I ain't buying it." Joel said as he suddenly stopped.

"Oh, shit." he said as I saw a bunch of lights.

"Tess, run. Lilly, stay with me." he said quietly.

"RUN!" he shouted as he took my wrist and we were off while Tess was yelling at Ellie to move.

We jumped down into an embankment just in time.

We crawled through an opening as I heard more soldiers saying they had found the bodies.

"Dammit." I whispered as it was still raining pretty hard.

"Follow me. Quickly." Tess said as we followed her lead.


	17. Summer- The Outskirts Part Two

"Here- take cover!" Tess said as we ducked down so the truck and its bright lights wouldn't see us.

"Alright, Ellie. When I give you the signal, we run." Tess said as I wiped the water off of me forehead.

"Now. Run." Tess said as we all took off while trying to remain hidden.

We jumped down again as I saw the lights.

"Stay away from those lights." Tess said as I nodded.

"The last thing we need is to get spotted. We wouldn't last a minute." I said quietly as Joel kept me close to him.

We made it across as my shoes and the bottom of my jeans were covered in mud and water.

"Ellie, it's gonna be another sprint. You ready?" Tess asked her as I prepped my body to start running again.

"Sure. Yeah." Ellie said as we started bolting again.

"Goddammit. They're everywhere." Joel said as he gently pushed me in front of him.

"You good?" he asked me as I nodded.

"Just peachy." I replied as he scoffed lightly.

We crouched through a tunnel of sorts as we jumped down once we reached the other side, landing in a puddle of water.

"Soldiers. Right there." Tess said as Joel nodded.

"I see 'em. I see 'em." Joel replied as I sighed.

"How the hell are we gonna get outta here alive?" I asked as Joel shushed me.

"They must've gotten through. Check the trenches!" a solder shouted as we took cover by the wall.

"Just stay back." Joel said as he got next to me.

"I don't see anything down there. Are we sure they came this way?" the man asked as Ellie looked at me.

I nodded before putting a finger over my lips. A signal to remain quiet.

"Unless we're told otherwise. We just keep scanning." another one of them replied.

"Stay down. Don't let 'em see you." Joel said as I nodded.

"Come on, kid. Follow Joel." Tess told her as I looked at him.

"Lead the way." I said as he got in front of all of us.

We got behind some rocks as the soldiers were literally right above us, shining their lights down below.

"You see anything?" I asked quietly to Tess.

"Clear back here. How's it look up ahead?" she asked as I looked towards Joel.

"Well?" I asked him as we went through another tunnel.

"So far, so good." Joel said as we dropped down again.

"Okay.." I heard Ellie's voice from behind.

We dropped down again as the water was deeper. It almost reached my hips.

We ran up a debris covered hill as the thunder rumbled and the lightening flashed.

"Shh,shh,shh." Joel said quietly and quickly as he kept me from moving ahead.

"I hear 'em up ahead." Joel said as I listened.

"Dammit all to hell." I mumbled as we crouched down.

"Go, go." Tess said as we made it through.

We started up the stairs as I heard one of the soldiers mention something about Clickers.

"Did he just say what I think he said?" I asked quietly as Tess shushed me before we jumped down again.

"We can get through here." Joel said as we reached a metal door.

Joel started pulling up the chain as Tess pushed Ellie ahead.

"C'mon, Ellie." Tess said as Ellie went through then Tess.

Tess held it up long enough for Joel and I to get through as she gently put it down.

"Oh shit, another patrol. Everybody get down." Tess said as we took cover behind an abandoned car.

"There's so many of 'em out here." Ellie said as I nodded.

"How are we supposed to get past 'em?" Ellie asked as we crouched ahead.

"They ain't spotted us yet, let's go around." Joel said as I nodded before following him to a small destroyed building.

"How's it look?" Tess asked as I quietly opened a drawer.

"Empty.

Ellie and Tess reached us as Joel picked up a brick and I picked up a bottle.

"There's to many, Tess." Joel said as I saw all of the men.

"Holy hell.." I said as I looked at Tess.

"Oh, shit. they're in here with us." Ellie whispered as I held the bottle tightly.

"See if you can distract 'em." Tess said as Joel and I looked at each other.

"Alright." we whispered as Joel sneaked up behind one of them and choked him.

We went ahead as one of the soldiers were getting close to us. To close. I threw the bottle as it hit the pavement a good distance away from us.

"What was that?" one of them said as he walked away and I let out a breath of relief.

Until I got spotted.

"There they are!" one yelled as they started firing us.

"Watch out!" I said as I tried to get a sense of where they all were.

We made our way through while avoiding being shot.

We ran down as I spotted another tunnel. We went through it and came up inside a building.

"At least we're out of the rain." I said as I fixed my bag and rung some of the water out of my shirt.

"Yeah, this looks right." Tess said as I shook my head, getting any water I could off of me

"Stay close." Tess said as we followed her.

"Lilly had a point. At least we're out of the rain." Joel said as I smiled slightly before we went up some stairs.

"How's it look?" Tess asked us.

"I think we can squeeze through here." Joel said as we crouched down and went through the hole in the wall.

Only to hear a soldier's voice.

"Shit. Shit. I got more soldiers." Joel said as I rolled my eyes.

"Can't these morons just give up?" I whispered as I heard them talking about breaking the pursuit and head back to their sector.

Well, we might just be getting our break.

"I don't think they see us." Joel said he informed us to stay in the shadows.

We made it through as I turned on my flashlight.

"Alright." Joel said as we stood up and we went through two open doors.

I opened a locker and saw some scissors and ammo. I took them before looking around.

"Are we safe?" Ellie asked as I shook my head.

"No. They'll still around." Tess said as I sighed.

"Assholes never make it easy." I said as Tess chuckled lightly.

"Look. Take a moment and catch your breath." Tess said as I saw Joel scavenging through a desk.

"Joel, Lilly, see if there's anything we can use in here." Tess said as we nodded.

"Sure thing, Boss." Joel said as I opened another locker.

I opened up my backpack to see that I had enough supplies to make a shiv.

"What are you doing?" Ellie asked as I smirked.

"Making crafts, kid." I said as I made three shivs before not having enough tools.

"That'll work." I said as I put my backpack back on.

"Everybody ready?" I asked as everyone nodded.

"Let's get goin'." Joel said as we walked out of the room.

I just hope this is over soon..


	18. Sorry

So sorry about the delay of The Last of Us! I've been really depressed lately and I've been trying to recover. I'm okay now and I'm recovering from all of the panic attacks and crying. The Last of Us should be updated in the next couple days. I hope you all understand and are liking the story!


	19. Hey guys!

I am starting to feel better now and I'm trying to be more happier so The Last of us will be updated today! I will try to get at lease one per day if my depression doesn't come back! Let me know what you guys think of the story so far!


	20. SORRY!

Sorry, guys! My whole laptop crashed and I lost ALL files so I'm having to re-do almost everything. Including a lot of The Last of Us work I had done! . I got my first day of my last year of high school Monday but I will try and get some updates in! Once again, I deeeeply apologize! Feel free to read my Uncharted stories I have on here! I PROMISE to update The Last of Us as quick as I can. Maybe an update tomorrow if I don't have another crash! .


	21. Hiatus

Sorry, guys! This story will be put on hold because I'm still trying to figure out where I'm going to be taking Lillian with this story and I don't have that much motivation to write more of it right now but I promise I will try to get some updates in around my very busy schedule. I thought about making a Silent Hill Homecoming story so let me know if you guys would be interested in reading it! :) So sorry!


	22. UPDATE NEWS!

The Last of Us shall be updated in the near upcoming days! I hope to have it updated by the 9th! :) Thanks for reading and I hope you all are enjoying the story!


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